Healthy Homes Assessment Plimmerton

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Plimmerton rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

• Draught Stopping
• Heating
• Insulation
• Ventilation
• Moisture Ingress & Drainage

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done, and provide the report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Plimmerton, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who report at least four major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Plimmerton rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control in Plimmerton rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Plimmerton Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Plimmerton

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in homes. A draughty home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the house require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the house warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will inspect every window and door as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Plimmerton

Plimmerton rental properties should have a permanent heating source that is able to heat the living room to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it should be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it might need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Plimmerton

Each liveable space in a rental home must have at least one opening door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dried air can be easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus do not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or the skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Plimmerton

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to the household to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Plimmerton Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is often the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Plimmerton

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Plimmerton include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Plimmerton for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to check when conducting a house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental property house assessment.